/*-
 * Communicator.java
 *
 * Copyright (c) 2007, Stein Gunnar Bakkeby
 * All rights reserved.
 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
 * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
 *
 *     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
 *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
 *     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
 *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
 *       documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
 *     * Neither the name of Stein Gunnar Bakkeby nor the names of its
 *       contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
 *       from this software without specific prior written permission.
 *
 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE REGENTS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY
 * EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
 * WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
 * DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS AND CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY
 * DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
 * (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
 * LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
 * ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
 * (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
 * SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 */
package com.googlecode.attention;

import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;

/**
 * Simple communicator interface for communicating across asynchronous
 * connections. 
 *
 * @author Stein Gunnar Bakkeby
 */
public interface Communicator {

  /**
   * Method for sending an AT command.
   * 
   * @param command The AT command to send.
   */
  void sendAT(final String command);

  /**
   * Retrieves and removes the head of this queue, waiting
   * if necessary up to the specified wait time if no elements are
   * present on this queue.
   * @param timeout how long to wait before giving up, in units of
   * <tt>unit</tt>
   * @param unit a <tt>TimeUnit</tt> determining how to interpret the
   * <tt>timeout</tt> parameter
   * @return the head of this queue, or <tt>null</tt> if the
   * specified waiting time elapses before an element is present
   * or if interrupted while waiting.
   */
  String getResponse(final long timeout, final TimeUnit unit);
  
  CommunicatorStatus getStatus();
}
